Practice Plan Software

Is anyone using software for creating practice plans that they'd care to recommend? I'm doing it in MS Word, and it just takes too long to go through the old plans and find the drills I want to use. Seem like there ought to be an easier way.

Just to be clear, I'm not looking to design plays, but rather to combine drills to create a schedule for a daily practice.

I use some ice hockey software for creating playbooks for box lacrosse. What you want though is software with field playing surface. I'd say, google game playbook software, or something similar and try the free test versions. See what you like and works with your system. My hockey software ran around $50. Be careful as some can be quite a bit more expensive.

The software I have allows three different players, pucks, goalie, ref and pylons. It has a timeline, which I like. I run the software on a Mac with bootcamp and Windows XP, so the software doesn't always play nice with my system.

As most software playbooks systems don't create video clips of your plays/drills. I use a video camera hooked up to my laptop and record of the screen using QuickTime Pro. This way I can email clips to players/coaches. Then again, these are quicktimes and PC users need to download free quicktime viewer software. Never a simple matter these days with video.

I actually use Microsoft Excel. I have all my drills and activities listed and can easily hide and unhide columns and rows. This is much easier and faster than cut and paste. I can also quickly change my print area to include/exclude certain areas from printing. Much better tha Word, yet still free.

Same way. Just hide all the rows that a diagram takes up and it's gone. Unhide the rows and it's back. Write your description of the drill in the same rows to the left or right of the diagram and it will come and go at the same time.

I use Excel (or actually the MAC version). Everyday I have the same basic setup for Plyo's, Warm up, cool downs and so on. I have every row in the chart represent 5 minutes of practice time. By using the chart, it makes it easier to add notes on the side. Good for Asst Coaches so they know what I want to concentrate on, or modifications to the drill that day. Also, we practice on our game field, so we use our scoreboard everyday. This keeps everyone on the same page, and I find it is well worth the 5 minutes everyday setting up the controller

Re: Practice Plan Software

I use excel for the timing/list aspects of practice and print out drill sheets that I already have saved separately. Last year I organized my drills into folders (face-off, clearing, rides, etc), and some overlap.

I like the USL Mobile Coach, but it's a bit too much for me as a youth coach.

REMEMBER: THESE ARE KIDS, THIS IS A GAME, THE COACHES VOLUNTEER, THE OFFICIALS ARE HUMAN AND THEY ARE NOT PLAYING FOR THE NCAA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

Re: Practice Plan Software

If coaches could have a software suite that included a playbook, video breakdown, and a practice plan, what types of functions or features would be of significant value? PM me with your ideas or insights.

Re: Practice Plan Software

Originally Posted by irish3722

If coaches could have a software suite that included a playbook, video breakdown, and a practice plan, what types of functions or features would be of significant value? PM me with your ideas or insights.

Thanks.

Check out Laxceed.com it has all that functionality and is built specifically for lacrosse.

Re: Practice Plan Software

Hello gents,

Full disclosure: I'm the founder of SportLink and a former MLL player. After the MLL I have invested all of my heart and energy into this software which answers needs like the one presented by OP. I would appreciate you giving this software a good look, we would really like to get some passionate advocates of the software, and it starts with coaches like you. Hope you enjoy.

Please check out SportLink for Practice Planing and team management software. You get to create a private network for your team with a lot of emphasis placed on helping coaches develop their team; the days leading up to the games.

The price is free when you stay under 3 users - you get to invite users to your team and select what content they get to interact with. You know: your EMO doesn't get your Man Down D plays. Our price is designed around earning and keeping your business too - $8.33 per user per month (less than a Gyros sandwich).

iPad and web-based applications; you can only create a practice plan on the web at the moment.